Change Starts Here

On May 13, 1964, a dedication ceremony was held for the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Technical Center, part of a statewide system designed to meet the educational and training needs of South Carolina. The center opened with two buildings, 226 students and programs in industrial and engineering technology. Fifty-seven years later, Trident Technical College boasts five campuses, more than 150 programs of study and 12,000 students, providing quality education and promoting economic development in the Lowcountry. In celebration of the day TTC opened its doors, the college held its very first Giving Day on Thursday, May 13, 2021 raising more than $11,000 to support students. Trident Tech students work hard to provide a better life for themselves and their families. Many work and take classes full-time while raising a family, and some are also taking care of elderly parents or other family members. And because half of Trident Tech students are first-generation college students, they of...

Trident Technical College held its first socially distanced commencement ceremony on Friday, May 7 at the North Charleston Coliseum. Colleges and universities typically invite their highest academic achievers - the valedictorians and salutatorians - to speak at graduation.  At Trident Technical College, it's about more than just a GPA. Each year, two graduates are chosen through an audition process for the coveted speaker spots. Students are asked to prepare a four-minute reflection about what brought them to TTC, their educational journey, obstacles they faced and how their TTC experience contributed to their success. A panel of student leaders, with oversight from faculty and staff, rate the candidates on content, organization, language and delivery. The winners then work with public speaking instructors to polish their skills. Over the years, a number of TTC graduates have stood on the coliseum stage and expressed their personal stories of hopes, dreams, stumbles and victo...

TTC President Mary Thornley with members of TTC Foundation Board of Trustees. Trident Technical College and Dorchester County officials, along with a limited number of invited guests, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 18 to celebrate completion of the college’s new Dorchester Campus in Summerville. The Dorchester Campus, the college’s fifth campus, is Trident Tech’s first full-service campus in Dorchester County. The college operates another educational site in Dorchester County – the Dorchester County QuickJobs Training Center in St. George. Thus far, Dorchester County has paid design, engineering, permitting and construction costs of $2.6 million to renovate the building. The county spent another $550,000 for furniture and access control hardware. Dorchester County will also cover the annual building lease and fees paid to cover taxes, insurance and common area maintenance for the property. The Town of Summerville contributed $200,000 toward the project. The college pr...